Phillkillv2's IS300 troubles

  • Thread starter Thread starter phillgt2002
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phillgt2002

phillgt2002

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Well, I drive a 2001 IS300, and I was wondering, if a person hits you do they have to purchase all of the parts directly from Lexus?

Front bumper, left/right fenders are gone, headlights are pushed into housing, hood is misaligned. Also, the tire is rubbing the wheel well. If any of you know a bit, that'd be cool.

UPDATE!

Well, this isn't over yet, but it isn't as nightmarish as it once was.

The car is still out of service. It'll be under a salvage title so the odds of selling it again for a good price are slim to none. The car will be given to me once I move out soon, and I plan on turning it into a small project/track car.

I'm not talking of major performance upgrades, but things to make it handle even better or a bit fasterthan it already does.

Drilled and slotted Rotors
Race Calipers
Adjustable Suspension/Coilovers
Tires
Intake
Headers
Paint

That's really all I can do with the car since it won't get much power without any aspiration (I can only get 300hp with exhaust and bolt on parts. The car is good, so I will just hang on to it as long as I can, once it's all fixed, of course.

Update 2

I'm not sure on what we'll be doing with it. The car has been sitting for a good few months. If it's fixed before I go on to class then I'll probably use it, if not, then I'll just go on and get my own car. Interesting ride, and I've learned that insurance doesn't always play in your hand if it wasn't your fault. Just some bad business, that's all. It sucks.
 
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Normally the insurance, which I hope that person has, should cover all your expenses. Doesn't matter what brand the parts are.
 
Talk to your insurance company, you pay them to deal with it all :)

Don't go toe-to-toe with the other guy's company if you don't know what you're doing, they're sharks. Just like yours :D
 
Everything is taken care of, police report, plates, pictures, everything. I was just wondering. The man crossed five lanes and swiped the whole front of the car.
 
Mikeybc
Insist on genuine replacement body parts, fight for them. Aftermarket fitment can be sketchy sometimes.

Glad your ok.
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This. I've found aftermarket body parts can be much flimsier as well and less robust as well as rusting easier.
 
Slash
This. I've found aftermarket body parts can be much flimsier as well and less robust as well as rusting easier.
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True, probably even more so than my comment on the fit. Inferior materials are common in aftermarket body panels and other parts such as brake rotors etc.
 
I've bought a patch panel for our truck from LMC and it was WAY flimsier than the original part.

Cost cutting measures to keep it affordable.

I'd rather spend an afternoon ripping good factory parts off a car in a junkyard than buy brand new "cheap" body parts.
 
Funny, I just spoke with a friend with a IS300 who was hit. I'm not sure how true this is, but he was telling me that two difference shops told him that they can't get new body panels for the car anymore.

Technically insurance is only required to replace with a like part with similar functionality, quality and performance. I would fight for OE panels though and not settle for aftermarket parts.
 
The only way to make sure you get OEM parts is to call around to body shops in your area and ask them if they use true OEM parts. When you find one, tell your insurance company that you want to use that shop, no exceptions.
 
Crash
Funny, I just spoke with a friend with a IS300 who was hit. I'm not sure how true this is, but he was telling me that two difference shops told him that they can't get new body panels for the car anymore.

Technically insurance is only required to replace with a like part with similar functionality, quality and performance. I would fight for OE panels though and not settle for aftermarket parts.
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Few things.

Not every car has aftermarket panels made for it, so that can cause a dilemma.

Also, as far as your friends car, automakers are only required to support the vehicle for a limited time, so it's very possible he couldn't get OEM parts.

It's true about what insurance companies should cover but it should be noted that not every car has aftarmarket pieces and some that do are extremely weak despite what they are advertised. Back to that patch panel we bought, next to an OEM peice that is pretty robust, I can flick the aftermarket peice and it flops around. And body worker or restorer will tell you to watch out at what you buy.

I have seen aftermarket pieces repainted next to factory ones and can see where the aftermarket ones have warped and flexed due to light relfections that come off them. Be wary, and cautious.
 
R1600Turbo
The only way to make sure you get OEM parts is to call around to body shops in your area and ask them if they use true OEM parts. When you find one, tell your insurance company that you want to use that shop, no exceptions.
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This X 1000.

Your issue is not the parts but what shop can get you them for the best deal. It would be in your best interest to use Lexus certified parts, considering the car has been out of production for quite a while now.
 
Slash
Few things.

Not every car has aftermarket panels made for it, so that can cause a dilemma.

Also, as far as your friends car, automakers are only required to support the vehicle for a limited time, so it's very possible he couldn't get OEM parts.
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For sure, that's probably what's going on here.

Slash
It's true about what insurance companies should cover but it should be noted that not every car has aftarmarket pieces and some that do are extremely weak despite what they are advertised. Back to that patch panel we bought, next to an OEM peice that is pretty robust, I can flick the aftermarket peice and it flops around. And body worker or restorer will tell you to watch out at what you buy.

I have seen aftermarket pieces repainted next to factory ones and can see where the aftermarket ones have warped and flexed due to light relfections that come off them. Be wary, and cautious.
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True again, hence why I suggested that he fight for OE parts and don't settle, and find a shop that is on his side and would only use OE parts. The insurance company is going to want to cheap out; they'll see something that is advertised to be just as good as factory, at a fraction of the cost, and they'll push to use those. Often times, insurance will insist it is just as good, and it will be up to you to show that that is in fact not the case.

I hope that that doesn't happen to phillkill, but it's just the unfortunate reality of it, and again he'll need to be ready to fight for it if it happens.
 
The fact that he isn't a mechanic won't help him out either. Makes it a bit easier to prove.
 
They can still cheap out and use OEM parts with Toyota Altezza body panels (same car just without the Lexus badge)
Would still have to pay shipping as they weren't available in the US
 
TheBigMan045
They can still cheap out and use OEM parts with Toyota Altezza body panels (same car just without the Lexus badge)
Would still have to pay shipping as they weren't available in the US
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I don't see how using parts from an Altezza on an IS300 is "cheaping out". Same car.
 
The fact its a Lexus bumps the price up a little bit, I don't know how it works over there but I assume the Lexus and Toyota dealerships are seperate? (That's how it works over here anyway), on the other hand Toyota charge a poo-load for OEM parts,
 
phillkillv2
Update..

****. Well, we took it to the collision repair and they said it was a total (about 2-3 weeks ago) The dried up ****er that crashed into our car had his **** fixed like 4 weeks ago.. maybe more. The collision workers took the front of the car apart (we didn't ask for) and now wants to charge us $500 to put it back together. At this point, my dad and brother don't even know what to think of this. None of this is our fault, the police even said that he is at fault on the police report, it's either court or a complete loss... nothing should be coming out of our pockets at this point.

They want us to pay for half of the damage also..
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"Which we didn't ask for". So presumably threatening them with a lawyer is the same as "not asking them to put it back together again" ;)
 
The issue with new cars is that in order to do any body work to it at all you damn near need to rip the whole front end apart.
 
@phillkillv2
Did you file a report to your insurance about the accident? Did the insurance companies settle the case?
Cause you are not supposed to talk to the another person or his insurance company.
And I'm sure but I think your not supposed to do any work on the vehicle until insurance has settled the claim.
 
phillkillv2
Update..

****. Well, we took it to the collision repair and they said it was a total (about 2-3 weeks ago) The dried up ****er that crashed into our car had his **** fixed like 4 weeks ago.. maybe more. The collision workers took the front of the car apart (we didn't ask for) and now wants to charge us $500 to put it back together. At this point, my dad and brother don't even know what to think of this. None of this is our fault, the police even said that he is at fault on the police report, it's either court or a complete loss... nothing should be coming out of our pockets at this point.

They want us to pay for half of the damage also..
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Hmm so it happens in America as well? And what the ensurance told you? A load of BS?
If you can troll back these ensurance thieves do it.
 
RocZX
@phillkillv2
Did you file a report to your insurance about the accident? Did the insurance companies settle the case?
Cause you are not supposed to talk to the another person or his insurance company.
And I'm sure but I think your not supposed to do any work on the vehicle until insurance has settled the claim.
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Check the OP for what's going on.
 
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phillkillv2
Yes, this isn't settled at all, I didn't talk to the person and my dad actually saw the guy on the streets with his car. The car was in the shop for an estimate, which we had already gotten.
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Not settled as in you never reported it to insurance, or that the case is still open? I'm not sure what more you can do if it was never reported. You should only be paying your deductible.
 

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